Issued by: Commission on Restitution of Land Rights
MEDIA STATEMENT BY THE COMMISSION ON RESTITUTION OF LAND RIGHTS REGARDING HANDLING OF CLAIMS IN THE MOUNT CURRIE DISTRICT.
Land claims in the Mount Currie district in East Griqualand will in future be handled by the Regional Land Claims Commissioner for the Eastern Cape in close cooperation with the Regional Commissioner for KwaZulu-Natal under who jurisdiction it feel previously.
A resolution that this change in administrative responsiblity be brought about was taken at the last meeting of the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights and has now been approved by the Minister of Land Affairs, Mr Derek Hanekom.
In a media statement today announcing the change, the Chief Land Claims Commissioner, Mr Joe Seremane, points out that the changes are driven solely by administrative and logistical concerns and with the purpose of expediting the processing of claims in the Mt Currie district.
Many land claimants in the Mt Currie district are living in the Eastern Cape area adjoining that district and have directed their claims to the East London office of the Commissioner, while other claimants have lodged their claims with the Pietermaritzburg office. Of the approximately 40 claims in the area at least 20 have been lodged with the East London office and the same number with the Pietermaritzburg office. It is anticipated that approximately 100 urban land claims will be received for the Kokstad area.
Because of the relatively smaller number of claims requiring processing in the East London office of the Commission, the Mount Currie claims will be able to enjoy a higher priority than would be the case in the KwaZulu-Natal office that up to date has the highest number of claims registered.
It has also been agreed that the Pietermaritzburg office will assist the East London office in Deeds researches of claims in the Mount Currie district.
Mr Seremane said that in the light of disputes over provincial boundaries in the area, it should be clearly understood that the Commission's decision is purely for administrative reasons and to expedite handling of claims and that nothing more than that should be read into it.
The Regional Land Claims Commissioner for the Eastern Cape, Dr Peter Mayende, has office in East London. The postal address is P O Box 1375, East London, 5200. Tel: 0431 433824. Fax: 0431 433687 Enquiries can still be made at the RLCC for KwaZulu-Natal at Tel: 0331 426955; Fax: 0331 423409
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE CHIEF LAND CLAIMS COMMISSIONER PRETORIA 29 OCTOBER 1996
MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Thys Human (012) 341 7900 Cell: 0825598597